Well, we made it up to Newcastle today, and did so in a less painful way then expected - the trains weren't quite as full, nor quite as late as we'd expected.

We're (Hilary, myself, Gillian and Dom) staying with Hilary's parents for just under a week (until the trains start working properly again!). We then head back south, with Gillian heading abroad, and Hils+I going to my parents. Then we're coming back to Oxford on New Year's Eve, to attend Dom's fabled New Year's party.